American Masters: Billie Jean King

American Masters: Billie Jean King

On the heels of Billie Jean King's visit to Rochester - as guest speaker for Susan B. Anthony's Birthday Luncheon, WXXI-TV is proud to present an encore broadcast of American Masters: Billie Jean King, airing Friday, March 10, 2017 at 8:30 p.m. American Masters looks back to the 12-year-old Long Beach, California, girl who played tennis on public courts, observed disparity and, as she soared athletically, never stopped trying to remedy inequality.

During her professional tennis career, King won 39 Grand Slam titles, helped form the Virginia Slims Series (pre-cursor to WTA Tour), founded the Women's Sports Foundation and Women's Sports magazine, and co-founded World TeamTennis (WTT). Her competitiveness on the circuit was matched by her efforts on behalf of women and the LGBT community, and her commitment to prove there is strength in diversity.